Volvo in Liverpool and Yutong in Oxford continue demonstrations of ZE tech; LAs are involved in both
Local authorities’ (LAs) desire to see zero-emission buses in cities has been further illustrated by two demonstrations of battery-electric vehicles.
In Liverpool, Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire is operating a Volvo 7900e for eight weeks, charged via an inverted pantograph at Liverpool ONE interchange.
Meanwhile, Oxford Bus Company (OBC) has taken a Yutong E12 for two weeks. It will be charged overnight at the Go-Ahead subsidiary’s Cowley depot.
LAs are heavily involved in both trials. In Liverpool the 7900e’s arrival is the result of a partnership with Merseytravel.
The Liverpool City Region has a desire to become carbon neutral by 2040 and Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram says low-emission public transport “has a key role to play” in delivering that. Arriva Merseyside already operates battery-electric 12 BYD ADL Enviro200EVs in the city.
In Oxford, both the City Council and Oxfordshire County Council have proposed that the city centre could become the world’s first zero-emission zone, beginning in a phased manner in 2020 and encompassing all non-electric vehicles by 2035.
To permit that, manufacturers must continue to improve electric buses’ range, says OBC Managing Director Phil Southall. “The proposals are great in principle, if the technology, battery capacity and range is ready for vehicles to switch to electric in two years. The bus we have on trial cannot do a full day’s work as it has a range of 150 miles.”
He adds that the trial forms an important part of the journey to zero-emission and that it will enable both OBC and stakeholders to better understand the technology.
